Means for removably positioning



Oct. 13,'1942.y s. P. LlcHTOR 2,298,743 MEANS FOR REMOVABLY POSITIONING. WALL COVERING Filed March s, 1941 gg TOHNEY Patented t.13,1942

MEANS FOR REMOVABLY POSITIONING WALL COVERINGS Samuel P. Lchtor, Kansas City, Mo. Application March 3, 1941, serial No. 381,457

(c1. :ao-15) 8 Claims.

This invention relates to the art of applying paneling or similar wall coverings to structures and particularly the means for removably securing such covering in place so that the same may be replaced without effecting the permanent parts of the supporting structure.

One of the important aims of the instant invention is the provision of means for removably positioning Wall covering, which means comprises cooperating elements having parts to releasably grip the panels of the wall covering so that the latter may be quickly and easily attached and removed from the surface of the structure walls` A yet further object of this invention is the provision of unique, novel, inexpensive and positively acting parts for releasably engaging panels for the surface of walls, which means has a part thereof permanently attached to the wall that cooperates with other units either o'n the panel or detachably associated' `with the wall for the purpose of removably retaining the panels in operative position.

This invention has for a still further object, the provision of means for supporting panels in a. manner described in my U. S. Letters Patent No. 2,208,159 but through the employmentV of parts not disclosed in said patent and which are believed to be more economical to produce, easier to operate, and more 4effective in allowing the user to accomplish the desired end.

In my aforesaid patent, parts of the fixture employed were made a part of the building or set in the structure to form an anchoring means. In the instant invention, the means for supporting the panels may be added to the surface of the walls of the structure without affecting the same, or at most, through the application of merely a groupof conventional expansion bolts with anchoring or locking heads that may be placed with a minimum amount of effort and Without making provision therefor when the building is erected.

One of the more specific objects of this invention is the provision of means for attaching panels to flat surfaces, which means embodies elements attachable to one side of the panel after the latter has been formed, and cooperating members associated with the wall of the structure to be covered, after the Wall has been formed.

With the foregoing broad objects in view and bearing in mind that specific details of construction constitute minor aims, the invention will be described withk reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 2.

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary condensed plan vie of a wall having a panel held thereover by means made in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view through said wall, taken on line II-II of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line III- III of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detailed sectional view through a part of a structure wall, illustrating the manner of removably supporting a panel through means embodying a modified form of ther invention.

. Fig. 5 isa stretch-out fragmentary sectional View of the parts shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a similar view illustrating cooperating members embodying still another form of the invention;` and n Fig. 'l is a fragmentary detailed sectional view through a wall and panel showing another form of the invention.

Panels I0 are shown throughout all of the views in the drawing, to be of conventional nature well-known in the art, and in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, said panels l0 are mounted directly against the flat surface of the supporting structure or wall I2.

The ceiling I4 meets wall l2 and has a molding I6 along4 the line of juncture behind which a `cavity I8 is created. The floor 20 of the structure has a molding22 at the line of meeting with wall I2 and this molding 22 is spaced outwardly from wall I2 to present a cavity 24.

An anchor plate 26 is rigidly secured to wall I2 adjacent to each cavity I8 and 24 respectively and is angular in cross section as illustrated in One leg of anchor plate 26 has screws or analogous fastening means 28 projecting therethrough into wall l2, while the other leg thereof, is disposed horizontally to underlie the bottom edge of panel I0' and to overlie the upper edge thereof. Retaining strip 30 commensurate in length with anchor plate 26, is hingedly connected to the outwardly extending leg of anchor plate 26, asshown in Fig. 3.

Hinge 32 has a spring 34 associated therewith to yieldably maintain retaining strip 30 in a position where the marginal edge thereof along one side, bears against the outer face of panel l0, while the marginal edge thereof along the other side and at the opposite edge, bears against molding IB or 22 as the case may be.

When removing or inserting panel I0, retaining strip 3U is sunk to the position shown in dotted lines of Fig. 2 against the force of spring 34.

Figs. 4 and 6 inclusive illustrate another manner of removably attaching panels I to wall l2. Wall I2 has an expansion bolt 35 held thereby and screw 38 is movable to and from the position shown in Fig. 4.

Screw 38 has a head 40 that fits into socket member 42, which is carried by tape 44 fastened directly to one face of panel I0. This tape 44 is secured to panel I0 through the means of adhesve orother suitablesubstancegand assembled after wall board l0 is manufactured.

The distance between screws 38 and members 42 on tape 44 should be the same so that assembly may easily occur when anytypeofl wall board is being applied to the structure.

Another way of removably securing panel i0 to wall I2 is through the employment of screw 46 having a clip 48 at one end thereof whichyieldably grips head 58 carried by tape 52. FromY this description, it will be apparent that many ways of utilizing expansion bolts 36 and tape 44 or y52, as the case may be,- might be employed without departing from the .disclosure hereby made.-

In Fig. 7 a, rigid strip 54 having headed member 56. secured atvintervalstherealong, is fastened to the face of wall I2 by screwv 58 in expansion bolt 60. After this strip`4 vhas been aflixed, wall board or panel I 0`is provided with tape 62 that carries socketed members 54to receive headed members 56. n

In the last form of the invention described, installation may be` made by having a quantity of tape 62 several lengths ofV strip 54, and several panels Il). Assembly may occur on the ,job by gluing or cementing .tape 62 topanel .I8 and mounting strip 54 as before mentioned-thus, any number `of panels l0 may be removably alnxed to a wall for replacement-,by others, if desired. l

Screws 38 may be employed as shown innFig. 4 to evenly support the paneling material to produce straight even surfaces on uneven faced walls. l

It is obvious from the foregoing that Vwalls of all types may be covered with removable paneling and that even finished surfaces are presented by disposing the xturesin alignment. Obviously, the broadv concepts of this invention may be embodied in structure having different characteristics than those illustrated and therefore, it is desired to be limited only by the scope ofthe appendedclaims. n

Havingthus described the invention, what is claimed as new` and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: u

l. Means for attaching stiif panels to a supporting wall comprisingan vangular anchor plate projecting outwardly from the wall; anda retaining strip hingedly connected to the Vanchor plate to overlie the marginaledge of thepanel. 2. Means for attaching stil` panelsto aesup-v porting wall comprising an angular anchor 'plate projecting outwardly from the wallg and fa fretaining strip hingedly connectedA to the anchor plate to overlie the marginal edge oflthe panel, said'retainingl strip beine` provided .with means for yieldably holding the Sami-fin Plaie" a iloor, comprising a molding at the zone of juncture between the said wall and the ceiling andfioor respectively, said moldings each being spaced from the wall to provide a cavity therebehind; an anchor plate projecting outwardly from the wall along the edge of each molding respectively; a retaining strip hingedly connected to each anchor plate to overlie the proximal marginal edge of the panel; and means for yieldably holding each retaining strip respectively in the operative position with a portion thereof within the adjacent cavity.

5. Attaching means of the character set forth in claim 4 wherein each retaining strip lhas a portion thereof in overlapping relation with vthe adjoining molding.

l6. Means for attaching stiff panels to a supporting wall of an enclosure having a ceiling and a licor, comprising a molding at ,the zone of juncture between the said wall and the ceiling and floor respectively, said moldings each being spaced from the wall to provide a cavityA therebehind; an anchor plate projecting outwardly from the wall along the edge of each molding respectively; a retaining strip hingedly connected to each anchor plate to overlie Vthe proximal marginal edge of the panel; and means for yieldably holding said retaining strip respectively in the operative position with a portionthereof within the adjacent cavity, the anchor plates being spaced from the free edges of the moldings, said retaining strips serving to bridge the lspace between the anchor plate and the molding when in the operative position.

'7. Means for attaching stii panels to a supporting wall, a molding secured to said wall and forming therewith a cavity therebehind; anI

anchor plate on the wall in spaced relation with the cavity and the molding; a retaining strip hingedly connected to the anchor plate to overlie the marginal edge of both the panel and said vmolding when in the operative position,

8, In means for attaching stiff panels to a supporting wall, a molding secured to said wall yand forming therewith a cavity therebehind; an anchor plate on the wall in spaced relation with the cavity and the molding, a retaining stripl hingedly connected to Vthe anchor plate to overlie the marginal edge of both the panel and said molding when in the 'operative position, said retainingstrip being over the outer face of said panel and the inner face of the molding that forms one side of said cavity.

SAMUEL P. lLICHTOR.y 

